This invention relates to methods and apparatus for producing connectors of the general type disclosed in application Ser. No. 503,884 filed Sept. 6, 1974 by Robert William Evans, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,413.
The Evans application discloses and claims a structurally simple electrical connector which can be made in extremely small sizes for forming electrical connections between corresponding terminal pads on two spaced apart panel-like members such as a printed circuit board and a sub-strate on which an integrated circuit device or the like is mounted. The increasing use of integrated circuit devices has given rise to a demand for small board-to-board connectors and the complexity and relatively low final cost with which the circuits must be produced have dictated a requirement that the connectors themselves be available at an extremely low cost. The Evans connector comprises briefly a generally cylindrical elastomeric body having a film wrapped therearound and having circumferentially extending conductors on the surface of the film. The essential structural features of the Evans connector are quite simple but it must have structural features as specifically described in the Evans application for optimum results. Connectors of this type can be produced by a series of manual assembly steps but the requirement of low final cost precludes the practality of a purely manual or hand maufacturing process.
The instant invention is directed to the achievement of a manufacturing method and apparatus for connectors of the type shown in the above-identified Evans application by means of which connectors can be produced seriation with a minimum of human supervision and at a manufacturing rate which will result in an extremely low final manufacturing cost.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing electrical connectors. A futher object is to provide manufacturing method and apparatus which requires a minimum of human intervention. A still further object is to provide a maufacturing method and apparatus capable of producing connectors at a high production rate and which, nonetheless, can be set up with a minimum expenditure in production tooling.